Bath & North East Somerset Council

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Bath Record Office is currently closed but we are planning a safe reopening. Although we are closed for research appointments, we are able to respond to enquiries by email, phone or post.

Photograph of an early nineteenth-century title deed Show image info

Title deed to a commercial property in Union Street, Bath, 1820 (ref. 0102A/171)

Records for Building History

Are you interested in the history of your house or another building? Do you need information for a planning application or resolving a property issue? Then we may have some records to help you.

There is more information about the sources listed below in the accompanying leaflet.

For the history of the building itself, we have:

  • Planning applications 1936-1996 (searchable on the archives catalogue)
  • Building control plans 1868-1980
  • Architectural plans from private firms and Council records
  • Related records such as deeds, estate collections, contracts and wills.

If you are more interested in the occupants of a property there are several sources detailed on the Family History pages that may help, including:

  • Census returns
  • Electoral registers
  • Rate books
  • Wills

Printed sources are available to fill out your research beyond the records, such as

If you have any questions relating to a specific property, many of the records are detailed on the archives catalogue. If you cannot find anything to help, please contact us in advance to check if we have any records that may be suitable for your research.